Tetsubin with Peach Blossom and Fruit

Decorated with flowering blossoms and fruit of the peach tree, this Japanese teapot was used to boil water for traditional tea ceremonies. Known as tetsubin, the kettle’s cast-iron construction is said to change the quality of the water, making tea taste mellow and sweet. Made by pouring iron in clay or sand molds, the kettle has a rustic texture in pleasing contrast to its refined floral decoration and graceful swing handle. The kettle was made during Japan’s Meiji period, an era when artisans began introducing elements of modern Western design into traditional forms.